This little vegetarian fast food place has been on my back burner for ages. I even saw it pop up in Amsterdam this summer when I went there for vacation (apparently the chain was founded on Reguliersbreestraat– another reason why I’m in love with that city, sorry New York!). And two days ago I spotted it in Union Square on the way to Whole Foods, another (more expensive) love of mine. So today I finally decided to stop by for lunch with a friend, in the Morningside Heights outlet, conveniently located across the street and a few steps down from Columbia.

At $4.95 for a basic falafel sandwich with unlimited toppings, it’s a great deal for the college student and student-at-heart. Although I am no falafel connoisseur, the little chickpea balls were deliciously crisp-fried on the outside and a moist green (cilantro?) on the inside. Definitely beats the kind from the Jersey mall. The pita (choose from whole wheat and white) tasted fresh and fluffy, not cold and wimpy like the grocery store kind. I loaded my sandwich with dill marinated cucumbers, crispy roasted broccoli (it was addiction at first bite!), and tons of yogurt sauce, my favorite. There was a bounty of veggies and sauces to choose from, including roasted peppers, chickpeas, mayo, tahini sauce, and much, much more, and with the self-serve format, feel free to try them all! (I went up three times for more yogurt sauce.)

$2.25 bought me a mint lemonade to wash it all down, with a real mint leaf floating in it. It was nothing mindblowing but a nice change from the usual flat diet coke.

Overall, a definite recommend—I will be visiting this place again. Fast cheap food with a vegetarian vision, what’s not to love?